Buyers' Guide: DVD players

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Since its launch, DVD has revolutionised movie viewing at home. It delivers a far superior picture to VHS tape and even boasts the same digital surround sound systems as the top cinemas. Suffice to say, a DVD player or recorder is an essential part of any home entertainment system, but with prices starting at less than £50 in supermarkets, is there any point in spending more?

DVD players
Every DVD player, whether it costs £50 or £5,000, will play DVD video discs and audio CDs. Spending more will get you better overall quality and features. For example, budget players may not have RGB-enabled Scart plugs or component outputs, preventing you from enjoying the maximum picture quality.

You'll also need to spend more to ensure that your DVD player has digital video connections. Pricier players will also support new the DVD-Audio and SACD music formats, although you'll need a good hi-fi system to actually hear their benefits.

Region coding
To control the distribution of movies around the world, Hollywood has imposed a regional coding system for DVD discs and players in each country. The world is split into six numbered regions, with the UK in Region 2 and the US in Region 1. A US Region 1 disc will not work in a UK Region 2 player and vice versa, so beware if you're shopping for movies on holiday.

Most DVD players can, however, be modified by specialist dealers to be region-free for around £50, and therefore play movies bought anywhere in the world; some players are even sold region-free.

These can be beneficial for UK enthusiasts who can buy DVD movies in the US long before they're on sale in the UK. Note that you will also need a TV that can display the American NTSC video standard, although this should include all recent sets.

DVD Audio/SACD
DVD Audio and SACD are new rival audio formats that deliver better quality sound than conventional CDs. They won't work in normal CD players, but better DVD players often have the facility to play them. They can sound great, but do be aware that there are not many discs available, and you'll also need a very good hi-fi to hear the difference.

The coming of Blu-ray and HD-DVD
Blu-ray and HD-DVD are new rival formats that can deliver high-definition video on DVD-sized discs. Movies and the first few compatible players are expected by the end of 2005. These players should also play standard DVDs, but no one knows if one format will outlive the other or whether both will co-exist.

It's just like VHS versus Betamax all over again, so we'd advise waiting a while to see if one looks like winning. If you're interested in connecting either to a TV set though, it will need to be HD-ready and have either a DVI or HDMI plug with support for HDCP.

Connecting your DVD player
Modern DVD players feature a wealth of sockets on the back and, like TV sets, some offer better quality than others.

Most people will use a Scart cable to connect their DVD player to a TV as it conveniently carries both video and audio. If the Scart plugs on your DVD player and TV both support RGB video, make sure you select this option in a DVD set-up menu to ensure the best quality.

Alternatively, if your player and TV have component video connections, these also deliver excellent quality. Best of all, if your player and TV have DVI or HDMI digital plugs, use these.

To enjoy full digital surround sound, you'll need to connect the digital audio output on your DVD player to your surround sound receiver/processor. There are two types: optical or electrical/coaxial. Optical is less prone to interference, but enthusiasts believe that coaxial sounds a bit better.

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